Metro Vancouver’s paramount commitment is to maintain essential services to the region while protecting the health and safety of our employees and partners.

Metro Vancouver continues to closely monitor the developments regarding COVID-19 and is taking proactive steps to ensure critical service levels, including the delivery of drinking water and the management of liquid and solid waste, are maintained at all times.

We take guidance from the Provincial Health Authority and are collaborating with Emergency Management BC, member jurisdictions, related agencies and other orders of government to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful response.

Based on the current situation, Metro Vancouver is taking a variety of proactive measures, including:

Activating its Emergency Operation Centre;

Postponing all events over 50 people, including NightQuest and ParksFest, and evaluating all future events;

Cancelling all of our water and wastewater facility tours and restricting access to Metro Vancouver staff and contractors only;

Coordinating continuity plans and securing critical resources within all departments;

Enhancing sanitation measures at all work sites; and

Bringing forward procedure bylaw amendments to enable, when and where necessary, remote participation by elected officials in Board and Committee meetings.

Services Updates

Air Quality

Metro Vancouver, in collaboration with BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and BC Ministry of Health, is
restricting open burning in all areas of Metro Vancouver, effective immediately through to Monday, June 15, 2020.

Under these restrictions, no new burning of vegetative debris may be initiated in Metro Vancouver and no additional material added to existing fires.

Metro Vancouver's head office is closed to public access, except during Board and Committee meetings.

All Board and Committee meetings will be
live streamed and we encourage the public to view these meetings
online. Any member of the public in attendance must obey strict health protocols including physical distancing of at least two meters from others.

As part of the commitment to maintain critical services, Metro Vancouver’s Financial Services Department is continuing normal operations. Customers, vendors and suppliers are advised that some procedures have changed to better support physical distancing measures.

Air Quality Permit, Liquid Waste Permit and Solid Waste Licence requirements, as well as all other regulatory requirements under Metro Vancouver’s air quality, liquid waste and solid waste bylaws, remain in effect, and it is expected that all reasonable measures will be taken to comply.

Metro Vancouver has temporarily increased chlorine levels to assist with flushing stagnant water and introducing fresh chlorinated water into plumbing of buildings or businesses have been unoccupied for some time, until the majority of businesses able to re-open have resumed operations. Tap water may have a chlorine odour during this time, and it remains safe to drink. Daily drinking water testing remains in effect throughout the region.

Metro Vancouver has extensive Emergency Management Plans in place and staff are maintaining close contact and collaboration with the EMBC Provincial Emergency Centre, Provincial Health Authorities, member jurisdictions and other agencies, sharing key information regarding ongoing response and potential additional measures to limit the impacts of the virus.